Charles W. Barger & Son Hosts Students for Quarry Tours

Charles W. Barger & Son operates a limestone quarry in Lexington, VA, and a sand and gravel plant in Stuarts Draft, VA. Charles W. Barger has been in operation in Lexington for over 90 years, with its President, Chuck Barger, now leading.

CW Barger once again hosted two quarry tours for 5th-grade students from Central Elementary School as part of the earth science curriculum. The tours were held on March 25 and 27, and 72 students and their teachers attended the tour of the Lexington Quarry.

The days started out with the history of CW Barger’s quarry and how the rock is extracted and processed and what its uses are. The children are encouraged to ask questions and take photos. The kids are shown a video of a quarry blast. What kid doesn’t like to see something blown up? Before the tour, the children are asked to stand on the truck scale and try to guess their combined weight and how much they would cost if they were rocks!

During the tour, the quarry remains in full production, giving the students the opportunity to see the large mining equipment in action. The first stop is an overlook into the quarry, giving a full perspective of the operations. This is also where CW Barger employees show the students the proximity of a nearby shopping center and how the quarry and their everyday life intersect.

The tour continues through the plant area, where processing and load-out are explained. To conclude, the students are taken to a safe area at the quarry where they can hunt for samples of pyrite. Chuck states this is the most fun part of school tours. He says the kids are beyond excited to find pieces of fool’s gold that they get to take home!

Chuck Barger and CW Barger have formed a partnership with Boxerwood. Boxerwood is a nature garden and woodland center that is the living legacy of a local doctor and his family. It is a Nature Center and Woodland Garden located just outside Lexington, Virginia, and is dedicated to educating and inspiring people of all ages to become successful stewards of the Earth.

CW Barger is a proud sponsor of Boxerwood and often shares educational experiences that include their aggregate operation and the Nature Center. Barger also provides surrounding land for the students through Boxerwood to create conservation learning experiences.

Chuck stated, “This is my hometown.” Chuck Barger’s commitment to Boxerwood and Central Elementary School signifies the positive impact that the aggregate (and all) industries can have in their community.